Experts Urge Training as AI and Soft Skill Gaps Put Entry-Level Roles at Risk
$5
Amid soaring healthcare costs, Amazon unveiled new benefits on Sept. 17, including a low-cost health plan for fulfillment and transportation staff. Starting in 2026, employees will pay just $5 a week and $5 for copays—slashing weekly contributions by 34% and copays by 87%. The update also raises pay, with some long-tenured workers earning $1.10–$1.90 more per hour and full-time staff averaging an extra $1,600 annually.
6%
Average CEO pay at the top 350 U.S. firms hit $22.98 million in 2024, up nearly 6% from 2023 after two years of decline, EPI reports. CEOs now make 281 times more than the average worker — a 1,094% jump since 1978 compared with just 26% for typical employees. Stock awards and options drive most of this surge, fueling calls for tighter oversight, new taxes, and shareholder pushback on executive overpayment.
83%
A General Assembly report shows only 22% of U.S. leaders think entry-level employees are fully prepared, while 47% say they’re somewhat ready and 31% say hardly or not at all. Weak soft skills top the list of concerns, cited by 64% of leaders at large firms versus 41% at smaller ones. With 83% of workers believing AI can perform most entry-level jobs and nearly 3 in 4 predicting fewer roles in five years, experts urge companies to boost training to avoid a critical skills gap.
27%
OpenAI’s new report reveals that 27% of all daily ChatGPT messages in June 2025 were work-related, down from 47% in June 2024. Writing leads workplace use at 40% of messages, with about two-thirds focused on editing, critiquing or translating rather than creating new text. Other top uses include practical guidance (24.1%), information-seeking (13.5%) and technical help (10%). The study suggests ChatGPT boosts productivity by offering decision support, especially in knowledge-heavy jobs.
63%
Owl Labs’ State of Hybrid Work 2025 shows a major shift in flexibility demands: 83% of U.S. employees rank flexible hours above location flexibility (79%), with 37% saying they’d reject a job lacking it. Nearly 30% report no clear start or end to their workday, while 59% schedule personal tasks during work hours. As 63% of staff return to offices, employees are pushing for control over when they work, signaling a new era of workplace flexibility.